10 Best Cheap Electric Guitars Under $150 in 2018 (Review)

10 Best Cheap Electric Guitars Under $150 in 2018 (Review)

Unlike in the olden days, electric guitars are now quite easy to get your hands on! However, you might feel wary about picking one up that’s too cheap, and what makes a guitar good, anyway? We’ve put this list together to help you out!

Don’t have time to read the whole article? Here are our top 10 electric guitars under $150 in 2018, at a glance:

Buyers Tips: Things To Look For When Buying A Guitar Under $150

When you’re buying a guitar under $150, you might not be expecting much quality, but don’t be fooled! These days, guitars are of a lot higher quality than they used to be, and you can get your hands on decent models at a low price. Here are some things to look out for:

Rosewood Fretboard

Rosewood is the king of fretboard materials and will make playing more pleasurable both physically and aurally.

Maple or Mahogany body

Both of these are the top choices of materials for bodies and necks, and you do sometimes see them in cheap guitars.

A combination of humbuckers and single coil pickups

This will offer you versatility as well as a learning experience as you experiment with different tones.

Included accessories

If you’re looking for a guitar under $150, chances are you’re a beginner. Packages which have amps, leads, straps and more will make getting started a lot easier!

So, all of these things considered, let’s have a more detailed look at our top 10 electric guitars under $150, in 2018!

Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(5.0 / 5)

Value:

(5.0 / 5)

Average:

(4.8 / 5)

Squier are very reliable when it comes to starter guitars. This model is no exception: it has a Rosewood fingerboard, keeps its tuning better than most beginner guitars and combines single coil and humbucker pickups for extra versatility. Squiers are also very durable, so if you get this guitar, it will last you a lifetime, even if you upgrade and it becomes a spare!

Pros:

Rosewood fingerboard, so it will play smooth and sound warm.

A mixture of single coil and humbucker pickups, for extra versatility.

Exceptional tuning stability.

Cons:

You need to buy accessories separately.

Frets can be a little rough on the edges.

You might want to upgrade the pickups if you’re a more experienced player.

Fender 301220506 Squier by Bullet Mustang

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(5.0 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.7 / 5)

This short-scale guitar is perfect for those with smaller hands. It has a 24” neck for easy reachability, and there are jumbo frets to make finding the notes you want a bit easier. There are humbuckers for that chunky sound, and, though this guitar won’t be to everybody’s taste, it certainly has some style about it. And it sounds good!

Pros:

Its short scale makes it easier to play for those with smaller hands.

Humbucker pickups enable a nice ‘chunky’ sound.

There’s a Rosewood fretboard with jumbo frets, making it smooth and easy to play.

Cons:

The humbucker sound might not be to everybody’s taste.

Likewise, the 24” short scale neck won’t be for everyone – i.e. those with large hands!

It’s not as versatile as a strat-style guitar.

Ibanez GRX20ZBKN

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(5.0 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.7 / 5)

This is the one that’s likely to get the attention of the shredders amongst you. The Ibanez has a look that lends itself to Metal genres, and a sound to match. The humbuckers pack a punch, and the body is designed so that you can reach the high frets without straining! It’s also got a Rosewood fretboard to make your playing experience smooth.

Pros:

Cut out strat-style body makes it good for reaching the high frets.

Humbucker pickups give off a nice, deep sound.

There’s a Rosewood fretboard! Which, as we know by now, makes the playing experience smoooth.

Cons:

Using the tremolo may send it out of tune.

There are only humbuckers here, so there’s no option of a single coil sound.

The pickups are not made from the highest quality materials.

Sawtooth ST-ES-FBRC-BEG ES Series ST Style

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(5.0 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.7 / 5)

The Sawtooth also comes with everything you need to get started, and it offers a little more originality in style than some of the other guitars here. It has a colorful headstock, and a metallic style scratchplate, which will appeal to those who like something a little different looking, and it is also a pretty versatile guitar. There are 3 single coil pickups built into its strat-style body, and its maple neck and fretboard will suit those who like a bright tone.

Pros:

Strat-style shape with three single coil pick ups to select between.

Comes as a bundle with all the accessories you will need.

Looks quite original and stylish, particularly thanks to its colored headstock.

Cons:

Using the tremolo is likely to send your tuning out.

The neck is maple, which is generally less favourable than Rosewood.

To get the most out of this guitar, you may need to upgrade the amp.

LyxPro Electric Guitar

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(4.5 / 5)

Value:

(5.0 / 5)

Average:

(4.7 / 5)

The LyxPro is a versatile, strat-style instrument which is great for the beginner guitarist. It comes with all of its accessories included, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing anything separately, and it has its own unique style thanks to its black tuning pegs and volume/tone switches. There are 3 pickups to switch between, and a tremolo attached to have some fun with!

Pros:

Comes as part of an impressive package, including everything you need to get started.

Has a Rosewood fretboard for a smooth playing experience.

Has a maple neck and a solid wood body, enabling good resonance.

Cons:

Use of the tremolo may send the tuning out.

You may wish to upgrade the amp to get the best sound out of this guitar.

You’ll need to restring it (with higher quality strings) and have it set up if you want it to play nicely and sound good.

Yamaha Pacifica PAC012

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(4.5 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.5 / 5)

Like the Lyx Pro, the Yamaha Pacifica is a strat-style guitar with 3 pickups, a tremolo and a Rosewood fretboard. One bonus of the Yamaha Pacifica is that one of its pickups is a humbucker! This gives you the option of sounding a little ‘chunkier’ than a strat typically can. Accessories will most likely need to be purchased separately, I’m afraid.

Pros:

The Rosewood fretboard enables a smooth playing experience.

The maple neck offers a reliable tone.

You can choose between single coil and humbucker pickups.

Cons:

Doesn’t always come with accessories.

The intonation isn’t as reliable as on higher end guitars.

Although it holds its tuning pretty well, big bends are likely to send you a bit out.

Epiphone Les Paul Special VE

Sound:

(4.5 / 5)

Build:

(4.0 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.3 / 5)

This Les Paul style guitar is stunning for the price. It has a chunky rock sound, thanks to its humbuckers, and the Rosewood fretboard, Mahogany neck and Poplar body give it a superior tone and resonance. This really is a quality guitar and if you’re a rock player who aspires to be anything like Slash, it’s the obvious choice.

Pros:

A stylish, black finish to suit a variety of musical styles.

Humbuckers work great to get ‘chunky’ sounds.

Rosewood fretboard on a mahogany neck, for a smooth playing and a warm tone.

Cons:

Humbuckers may not be appropriate for all styles.

The Les Paul shape makes it more tricky to play high frets than on a Strat-type model.

You may need to adjust the height of the pickups to get the sound you want.

Jameson Guitars RWGT280BK

Sound:

(4.0 / 5)

Build:

(4.5 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.3 / 5)

The Jameson package includes everything you need to get playing, so it’s great for those who are new to the guitar. It also offers more simplicity than some of the other models, due to its only having one pickup. If you’re after something simple, which has a nice, bright tone, this is your model.

Pros:

Comes as part of a package with everything you need to get started!

The maple neck and fingerboard give it a bright tone.

There are humbuckers for a good rock sound.

Cons:

Less versatile than a lot of other cheap guitars.

The maple neck – although it may appeal to some – generally is less enjoyable to play on than a Rosewood neck.

There’s only one pickup, so you’re very limited with your sound options. Although, this might appeal to those who would like to keep things simple!

ZENY 39” Full Size Electric Guitar

Sound:

(4.0 / 5)

Build:

(4.0 / 5)

Value:

(5.0 / 5)

Average:

(4.3 / 5)

This guitar is part of another package, offering great value for money as well as an easy beginner experience! The materials are pretty good quality: there’s a Rosewood fretboard here again, upon a Maple neck. It’s also a versatile model. There are three pickups, all of which are single coil, for a classic strat-style experience. It’s a very easy-on-the-wallet purchase, and the quality will surpass your expectations.

Pros:

Rosewood fretboard! (I don’t need to tell you why that’s good any more!)

Comes with everything you need to get started.

Strat-style shape makes it versatile and user-friendly.

Cons:

The pickups are all single coil: there’s no humbucker option.

Using the tremolo will likely send it out of tune.

Frets can be a little bit rough.

Davison Guitars Full Size Black Electric Guitar

Sound:

(4.0 / 5)

Build:

(4.0 / 5)

Value:

(4.5 / 5)

Average:

(4.2 / 5)

The Davison package is something a little different. There’s no scratchplate which gives it a simple appearance which will appeal to some people. As well as looking simple, this guitar has the simplicity of just one humbucker pickup, which is good for those who want to maintain a chunky sound in all of their playing. It might not be as versatile as some of the others here, but it’s a good, solid rock guitar.

Pros:

Comes with everything you need to start playing.

Simple and easy to play.

Holds its tune pretty well.

Cons:

There’s just one pickup, so you’re limited in sound options.

The fretboard is maple, not Rosewood.

The humbucker sound might not suit all styles that you wish to play.

Our Favourite?

Choosing the right acoustic guitar for you will largely depend on your body frame, your playing style and your aesthetic preferences. However, the one that stood out as number one for us was theFender FA-100 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Natural Bundle. Carrying the trusty Fender name, this guitar screams value-for-money, and the bundle it comes as a part of is really useful! It’s rich and resonant, and seems to bring out all tones equally well, from low to mid to high.

If you’re looking for something a bit smaller, and require a cutaway to reach high frets, theJasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar is the obvious choice, and this beauty also has cleverly placed strap buttons which will suit the rocky player who likes to stand up! It’s also the most budget-friendly option on our list.

Whichever guitar you decide is right for you, we hope that this list has helped you in your hunt, and we wish you a thoroughly enjoyable playing experience!

About me

I'm Roz, an enthusiastic musician who believes that we are all multi-instrumentalists!
Equipping others with the information and confidence they need to be lifelong musicians – and lifelong learners – is my passion, and I enjoy teaching a variety of music lessons to all ages.

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